Psychological Assistant Registration – FAQ's

Application

Who can apply to be registered as a psychological assistant?

Answer: Any person who meets the requirements of section 2913 of the Business and Professions Code (B&P) may apply to be registered as a psychological assistant using application form PSB 100 (rev. 10/16).

Who is responsible for notifying the Board of an addition or deletion of a primary supervisor?

Answer: The psychological assistant is responsible to complete and submit the "Notification to Add or Change Supervisor or Service Location for a Psychological Assistant" form PSB 101 (rev. 11/16). The form must be completed and signed by both the psychological assistant and new primary supervisor. There is no fee to add or change a supervisor.

PLEASE NOTE: It is considered unlicensed practice if the psychological assistant begins providing services before receiving approval from the Board.

If the psychological assistant is accruing supervised professional experience for psychology licensure, a new supervision agreement and plan must be completed and signed by the psychological assistant and new primary supervisor prior to the commencement of the supervised professional experience.

Does the Board charge a fee to change a primary supervisor or service location?

Answer: No.

What address should be listed with the Board as the Address of Record?

Answer: A psychological assistant must provide a valid address as the Address of Record (AOR) to the Board for all correspondence (e.g., renewal applications, updates, etc.). The AOR is public information and is available to anyone who asks over the phone, in writing, or via the Board's website. If the AOR is a PO Box, or a mail drop location, the psychological assistant is required to provide a confidential physical business or residential address which will not be made available to the public [16 CCR § 1380.5]. Any address change must be reported within 30 days to the Board.

Is an applicant required to provide an email address to the Board?

Answer: A psychological assistant must provide a valid email address to the Board for all correspondence pursuant to 16 CCR § 1380.5(b). An applicant's email address is not public information. Any address change must be reported within 30 days to the Board [16 CCR § 1380.5(c)].

What is the fee for the psychological assistant application?

Answer: The application fee for registration as a psychological assistant is $40.00. [16 CCR §1392.1(a)]

Primary and Delegated Supervisors

Who can serve as the primary supervisor of a psychological assistant?

Answer: Only licensed psychologists and board-certified psychiatrists can serve as the primary supervisor of a psychological assistant. [16 CCR § 1391.5(a)]

Must the primary supervisor complete a six-hour course in supervision?

Answer: A licensed psychologist must complete a six-hour course in supervision every two years to qualify to supervise a psychological assistant. A board-certified psychiatrist is not required to complete this course. [16 CCR § 1387.1(b)]

Whose responsibility is it to notify patients, prior to the rendering of psychological services by a psychological assistant that the assistant is unlicensed and is under the direction and supervision of a licensed psychologist?

Answer: The primary supervisor shall inform each client or patient, prior to the rendering of services by the psychological assistant that the assistant is unlicensed and is under the direction and supervision of the supervisor. [16 CCR § 1391.6(b)]

Does the primary supervisor have to be employed in the same setting that the psychological assistant is employed?

Answer: Yes. A psychological assistant must be under the direction and supervision of a licensed psychologist or board-certified psychiatrist who is employed in the same setting as the psychological assistant. [16 CCR § 1391.5(a)]

What percentage of time must the supervisor be available when the psychological assistant is rendering professional services?

Answer: The supervisor must be available to the assistant 100% of the time the assistant is rendering professional services. The availability can be in-person, by telephone, by pager or by other appropriate technology. [16 CCR § 1391.6(c)]

What is the maximum number of psychological assistants that can be supervised by a licensed psychologist or board-certified psychiatrist at any given time?

Answer: Both licensed psychologist and board-certified psychiatrist can supervise no more than three (3) psychological assistants at any given time. [B&P section 2913(c)(2)]

Supervised Professional Experience (SPE)

Is a supervision agreement form required?

Answer: A supervision agreement form is required if it is the intention of the psychological assistant to count the hours worked as a psychological assistant as SPE toward the psychology licensure requirements. The Board also recommends that a supervision agreement form be completed even if the hours are not being accrued towards licensure. [16 CCR § 1387(b)(10)].

Is a psychological assistant who is accruing hours of supervised professional experience required to keep a written log to document the hours of supervised experience?

Answer: Yes. All psychological assistants must maintain a written, weekly log of all hours of supervised professional experience gained toward licensure that meets the requirements of 16 CCR § 1387.5.

How many hours of supervised professional experience can be credited toward the SPE required for licensure?

Answer: A maximum of forty four (44) hours per week can be credited toward meeting the supervised professional experience requirements. This includes the required 10% supervision. [16 CCR § 1387(b)(5)]

What is the minimum amount of direct, individual, face-to-face supervision that must be provided by the supervisor to a psychological assistant?

Answer: The supervisor must provide a minimum of one (1) hour per week of direct, individual, face-to-face supervision to the psychological assistant. However, the psychological assistant must be provided with supervision for 10% of the total time worked each week in order for the hours to meet the licensing requirements. [16 CCR § 1387(b)(4) and 1391.5(b)]

Can a psychological assistant be supervised by a family member or business associate?

Answer: No. Primary supervisors cannot have any familial, intimate, business or other relationship with the psychological assistant. [16 CCR § 1387.1(j)

Law and Ethics

Can a psychological assistant rent office space?

Answer: No. Psychological assistants cannot rent, lease, sublease, or lease-purchase office space from the supervisor, employer or any entity for the purposes of functioning as a psychological assistant. [16 CCR § 1391.8(c)]

Can a psychological assistant provide psychological services prior to being registered by the Board?

Answer: No. The unlicensed/unregistered practice of psychology is prohibited. A registration is not valid until approved and issued by the Board [B&P section 2913]

Is it acceptable to supervise a psychological assistant who is a current or former client?

Answer: No. A primary supervisor cannot supervise a psychological assistant who is, or has been, a psychotherapy client of the supervisor. [16 CCR § 1387.1(k)]

Can a psychological assistant be required to supply provisions necessary to practice?

Answer: No. The supervisor must supply all provisions necessary to function as a psych assistant [16 CCR § 1391.8(a)]

Can a psychological assistant advertise or have a website?

Answer: No. A psychological assistant is not licensed to practice independently. The supervisor can list the psychological assistant on advertisements and/or websites as long as it is clear that the person is registered as a psychological assistant, provides the registration number, and the name and license number of the supervisor. [16 CCR § 1396.4and § 1397]

Renewal

When does a psychological assistant registration become delinquent?

Answer: If a registration is not renewed by the expiration date, it becomes delinquent the following day. [16 CCR § 1391.12(b)]
A registration that is not renewed within 60 days after its expiration date becomes cancelled and a new application for registration must be submitted. [16 CCR § 1391.12(e)]

PLEASE NOTE: Providing psychological services while the registration is delinquent or cancelled is unlicensed/unregistered practice of psychology. [B&P section 2913]

Can a psychological assistant practice while his/her registration is expired or delinquent?

Answer: No. A registration that is not renewed by its expiration date is delinquent. Practicing with a delinquent or an expired registration is prohibited and considered the unlicensed practice of psychology. [16 CCR § 1391.12(c)]

What kind of information must be reported to the Board on an annual basis by the psychological assistant's supervisor?

Answer: Every supervisor of a psychological assistant must submit to the Board an update that is completed by the supervisor and signed by both the supervisor and the psychological assistant.

The update must be submitted on or before the expiration of the registration for the preceding calendar year showing:

Name and license number of all primary supervisors

Address of all locations where psychological services are currently being provided

The location, type, extent and amount of supervision

An attestation from all current primary supervisors that the psychological assistant has demonstrated an overall performance at or above the level of competence expected for his or her level of education, training and experience. This information is required to be reported on the registration renewal form. [16 CCR § 1391.10]